Michael Caine and Vin Diesel are two of the biggest Hollywood stars of all time, and over the years, they’ve appeared in some of the biggest movies of all time. But did you know that on top of being two of the most recognizable faces on the silver screen, they’ve also had one of the closest friendships in show business, and for a very long time? I didn’t, but hearing about their close bond has honestly brightened my day, week, and even year.
When I first heard that the two-time Academy Award winner was coming out of retirement, I was surprised it wasn’t for another Christopher Nolan collaboration, but instead the long-in-the-works The Last Witch Hunter 2. His sequel return at 92 years old makes more sense, however, knowing that Caine and Diesel have been thick as thieves for ages. Here’s the story behind one of the more surprising friendships in Hollywood.
Michael Caine And Vin Diesel Became Instant Friends After Meeting At A Party Nearly 30 Years Ago
Okay, so how did Sir Michael Caine and Vin Diesel become friends anyway? If you guessed while filming a beloved movie about cars (they both have a history here), you’d be wrong, but what about some seemingly random dinner party nearly 30 years ago? In Caine’s 2025 memoir Don’t Look Back, You’ll Trip Over (via EW), the Italian Job actor recalled the fateful night he and a pre-Fast & Furious Diesel became instant friends:
Vin’s special. I love Vin. We first met at a dinner party about thirty years ago. I just instinctively greeted him with a hug and announced to the whole room, ‘This is my son!’ … Sometimes, you sense a connection. I just liked the guy immediately; he has a big heart.
The Get Carter and Dark Knight actor would go on to add a bit more context to their first meeting, saying that Diesel was going through tough times when they met at the party:
It turned out he was going through some tough times back then, so I think perhaps it made an impression upon him to be embraced and treated with love. Anyway, we’ve been great friends ever since.
If my math is correct, this unlikely friendship started at some point in the mid-90s, at a time before any of Diesel’s best movies came out, and he was still an up-and-coming actor looking for his big break. Little did he know, but he found a close friend as well.
The Friendship, Which Started After Vin Diesel Lost A Childhood Friend, Has Been 'Healing And Loving'
Around the time The Last Witch Hunter became a surprise hit for Netflix subscription holders in June 2025, 10 years after it hit theaters, Vin Diesel took to Instagram to thank everyone for watching the movie after all this time. In the same post, the Fast & Furious star also took time to talk about his dear old friend Michael Caine, providing further context for their years-long bond:
Michael and I have been close friends for decades. He came into my life after I had lost a childhood friend who became a New York City police officer and lost his life in the line of duty – one of my personal reasons for filming that infamous New York detective. Somehow, Michael’s friendship was healing and loving, and I’ve been blessed to have him in my life.
Just like his Dom Toretto character from the Fast & Furious franchise, friendship and family obviously means a lot to Diesel, especially when those people come through during tough times. This is definitely the case with Caine.
The Two Close Friends Even Get Dinner Together Whenever They're In Each Other's Cities
Though Michael Caine and Vin Diesel have only made one movie together (with more projects on the way), these two have continued to get together whenever their busy schedules allow. When promoting the 2015 release of The Last Witch Hunter, Diesel opened up about their unlikely friendship during an interview with the Miami Herald, where he talked about how they keep things going.
Basically, whenever Diesel is in London, he and his partner Paloma Jimenez will go have dinner with his dear old friend and his wife, Shakira Caine, and Caine has dinner with him whenever they’re in the same place at the same time in the United States. The thought of these two actors from different eras and walks of life getting together for dinner or to catch up is just too wholesome.
The Pair Was Spotted Together In July 2025, Leading To One Of The Most Wholesome Pictures Of The Year
Vin Diesel talking about getting dinner with Michael Caine when he’s in London wasn’t just some story he told a reporter when promoting a movie back in 2015, as the two were spotted together in London 10 years later. In July 2025, People shared a photograph of Diesel pushing the 92-year-old Caine in a wheelchair while they were out on the town, and I’ll be damned if it isn’t one of the most wholesome pictures of the year.
Little did we know at the time, but these two were planning a great comeback for the Hannah and her Sisters actor who retired from acting back in 2021. Though it’s unlikely this was more than just a casual dinner shared by two close friends and their families, you have to wonder if the conversation of The Last Witch Hunter 2 came up.
The Last Witch Hunter Sequel Isn't The Duo's Only Upcoming Collaboration
Though The Last Witch Hunter 2 is the more high-profile project Vin Diesel and Michael Caine are working on right now, it’s not the only thing they’re working on together. In the June 2025 Instagram post where Diesel opened up about his friendship with Caine, he revealed that they are working on an “independent project” called Mark and Maurice.
Though he didn’t share any details about whether or not it’s a movie, a show, a stage production, or something entirely different, Diesel did say he can’t wait for everyone to see what they’ve been up to. If this means Diesel is about to go back to his dramatic roots, I’m going to be on board.
With Michael Caine coming out of retirement and his friendship with Vin Diesel looking stronger than ever, I really can’t wait to see where this story goes from here.
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